They wouldn't keep Lasseter for toys and the parks. His creative input is most valued in their animation output, so that's where they'd keep him. I actually am surprised they are considering keeping him. Yikes.

The fact that Disney feel they are too dependent on his presence during the production of movies says that they really need to come up with a production system that makes them less dependent on just one or two key individuals.

That may be what Disney needs to do in the long run. The studio has a history, dating back to Walt Disney himself, where many talented artists were driven away by the whim of a singular overlord. They need more relaxed "unit" system, like the classic Warner Bros. cartoons, where different creative teams are trusted to turn out their own projects with minimal interference.

Unfortunately, Disney would rather have a more dependable factory-like approach of consistent financial success over anything else. Essentially Disney is the joke The Lego Movie makes with "Everything Is Awesome"--create the same thing repeatedly with just enough difference in the veneer, receive success and accolades repeatedly.

I wouldn't expect Lasseter to come back humble at all. If anything, he'll be worse because he'll have been validated in the belief that he's above all consequences. But this is the state of the world, where powerful men get away with murder and all human decency is dead. It's one thing for his behavior to be ignored for years, but to go right back to implicitly condoning it after having been blown wide open would be an even bigger disgrace on Disney's part.

not surprised they'll bring him back at all. Disney is absolutely horrified at the thought of having another Treasure Planet style flop...so terrified that they've absolutely refused to risk another hand drawn film for feel it flopping would taint their winning streak. So there's no way they'll let go of the man they feel is responsible for that winning streak.

Once they keep him, watch them ramp up more "girl power" movies(live action and animated) to cover up for it. In fact Im expecting them to announce a brand new animated film with a strong female main character/characters around the same time its let slip that Lassater is back(they wont make a big announcement about Jon's return either, they'll try to keep it quiet, but the media will slowly find out.)

Rather than bringing handdrawn animation into this argument, the thing that I dread about Lasseter being back is that he might not have learned any lessons from his leave of absence. After being very disillusioned with what kind of person he is, I don't care about what his contributions are or his standards. I would never want him back. Period. I am not all for giving second chances to someone who reportedly is guilty of misconduct, whether they meant it or not. I would not be so forgiving or trusting.

Semaj wrote:

Rumpelstiltskin wrote:

The fact that Disney feel they are too dependent on his presence during the production of movies says that they really need to come up with a production system that makes them less dependent on just one or two key individuals.

That may be what Disney needs to do in the long run. The studio has a history, dating back to Walt Disney himself, where many talented artists were driven away by the whim of a singular overlord. They need more relaxed "unit" system, like the classic Warner Bros. cartoons, where different creative teams are trusted to turn out their own projects with minimal interference.

I don't think Disney will come up with a whole new female empowered film just to make people feel better about keeping Lasseter. For one, people should see that doesn't have anything to do with the problem in any way, and two, if they think it's ok to keep him, they might as well think it's ok to do whatever they want.

And it was already reported that he was repeatedly told about his behaviour for years and he didn't change how he acted towards his female employees. So Lasseter already had his "second chance."

That's the thing that astounds me about these stories coming out of Hollywood. How do you not see the other person is uncomfortable and change your behaviour accordingly? Isn't that called empathy and understanding? And in some cases (like Louis C.K. masturbating in front of women), what even enters the mind to do it in the first place?

_________________"If your life had a face, I would punch it." - Kim Pine, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Still no announcements. Actually, except from Lasseter himself and the note he left behind before taking some time off, not a single official word has come from Disney or Pixar.

Since Incredibles 2 is just little more than a couple of weeks away, maybe they will wait till after it starts rolling on the theatres to make sure their decision doesn't hurt the box office numbers. It didn't hurt Coco, but deciding to either let him stay or let him go would lead to bigger headlines than a six-months sabbatical because of "some unwanted hugs".

And just a thought. Toy Story 4 writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack said they left because of so-called creative and philosophical differences. If Lasseter was their main reason for leaving, imagine if they had just hung on a couple of more weeks, and then they could have been given a lot more freedom during these months. Others have noticed the some of the same tendencies. Found this seven years old thread:

Since Incredibles 2 is just little more than a couple of weeks away, maybe they will wait till after it starts rolling on the theatres to make sure their decision doesn't hurt the box office numbers.

That's very possible. Besides, if they're planning to bring him back, now it's not the best moment to announce it. The subject of sexual harassment is very topical right now after Harvey Weinstein's arrest and the allegations against Morgan Freeman. (By the way, I wonder if the latter will have any effect on The Nutcracker and the Four Realms were Morgan Freeman plays a role. Will they recast his character and reshoot his scenes like they did with Kevin Spacey in All the Money in the World?)

At Disney, there is talk that John Lasseter could return from a self-imposed “sabbatical,” which followed accusations that he had groped and forcibly kissed women at Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. Sources have told Variety that Disney CEO Bob Iger knew of Lasseter’s behavior at least as early as 2010, when Lasseter was seen making out with a staffer at an Oscar wrap party. Yet Disney has not conducted an internal investigation, and some within the company fear that top executives are not serious about changing the culture.

“If the company allows him to come back, that would just be a giant slap in the face to the whole Me Too movement,” said one Disney animator, who asked not to be named to protect her job. “It sends a message to the entire universe of animation that if you’re big enough and bad enough and awesome enough and a creative genius, you can get away with anything.”

The Walt Disney Company still has not formally announced a decision on the fate of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios chief creative officer John Lasseter, who is now in the 7th month of his “sabbatical.”

Industry frustration spilled over this afternoon in the #LoseLasseter hashtag, which has started growing on Twitter.

According to an Ankler Friend on the inside, when the Lasseter news broke last November, most of the Jungle Cruise album and the art around it had already been completed. But as more and more came out, some people involved in the project began to feel uneasy about the notion that the executive with such unsavory stories now circulating about him should be fronting a children’s storybook and record.

People involved in the project created new art that removed his face from the package. When higher-ups learned about that the overhaul, fireworks broke out between the senior Lasseter loyalists at the top and those working on the album project.

Now with the release date a month away, just as the Harvey Weinstein indictment came along and put Me Too back front and center and reminded the world what this had all been about, a decision looms.

Quote:

Whatever the right and wrong, this is not, as many suggest, a cost-free decision, a cost-free decision for IP Bob.

Would a new animation chieftain fill his shoes as well, or better? Maybe! You don’t know until you try but with any new manager, there’s always a more than zero chance that they’ll turn out to be a disaster, for a myriad of reasons.

Disney can’t just will John Lasseter into non-existence. If they get rid of him, what other studios struggling with their own animation units would be willing to take the heat to get him at their helms? (I can name at least three). And not only studios, how about Head of Netflix animation? Hulu? Or what about Apple? I recall he’s got some contacts there.

A dispatched Lasseter can pick up the phone, or even just wave his desk lamp at the phone and have a gazillion dollars in VC money air-dropped on his desk to start up his own animation company. A gazillion dollars he can use to hire away his loyalists from Disney/Pixar. Yes, there’s lots of people who wouldn’t work for him, but if he’s waving billions + stock options around, I’ll bet there’s a few who would.

Most important, what do any of the above scenarios do to the Disney stock price? In a month where it's already reeling. That’s the same stock price that you have to use to fund the Fox purchase and fend off Comcast’s cash offer, on the table, awaiting a decision, also as it happens – right this minute.

Could a Lasseter Lurch be the hit that kills off the merger?

Terrible choices if you’re IP Bob. It almost must make one wish they’d dealt with these issues when they first heard about them.

That could be the reason why Disney is so silent. They are afraid of what could happen to their stock price if they announce a decision, no matter if they choose to keep Lasseter or fire him. If the decision affects the stock market in the wrong direction, Comcast could end up with Fox instead of Disney.

Remember the storybook Disney Parks Presents: Jungle Cruise narrated by Lasseter and featuring his likeness that's coming out on July 3rd? At one point they were going to remove any references to Lasseter and redo the project from scratch but top executives loyal to him forced them to go ahead with the release as is. Not only Lasseter still has loyalists inside the company even after the allegations, which is disgusting in its own right, but these are ardent defenders who safeguard his interests including something as frivolous as keeping his ugly mug on a children's storybook. This book was a cringeworthy, self-absorbed, vanity project before the truth came out but now it has become disturbing in a whole new way, especially since it's marketed to kids. These execs need be fired ASAP!

Quote:

According to an Ankler Friend on the inside, when the Lasseter news broke last November, most of the album and the art around it had already been completed. But as more and more came out, some people involved in the project began to feel uneasy about the notion that the executive with such unsavory stories now circulating about him should be fronting a children’s storybook and record. People involved in the project created new art that removed his face from the package. When higher-ups learned about that the overhaul, fireworks broke out between the senior Lasseter loyalists at the top and those working on the album project.

I have a really horrible feeling he will be back, and it will be as if nothing had ever happened.

The fact they are still releasing the storybook is horrendous as well. He seems so have escaped huge expose features though in mainstream newspapers as far as I can see ... why is that ? The power of Disney ?

Most people seem to have the idea that his crime was mostly "unwanted hugs", which he has apologized for. Not many articles goes into detail what has been revealed after the first bomb was dropped. And a few exceptions, maybe just one, everybody who has had something to share about the case has been anonymous, which could give the impression that it is mostly just rumors. Disney and Pixar themselves have been silent as clams, and if they just wait long enough, the whole thing will eventually run out of steam (or at least that's what they hope). Or, as mentioned, they don't want to announce something official for the moment out of fear that it could affect their chances of buying fox.

Mr. Lasseter will work for Disney as a consultant through the end of this year before fully separating from the company, according to a company statement released Friday. For the remainder of this year, he isn’t expected to have an office at either Pixar or Disney Animation, according to a person close to the company. Beginning in 2019, Mr. Lasseter will have no more contractual relationship with Disney, this person said, and he could move to a new venture.

In a statement on Friday, the company said that Lasseter will take a consulting role until Dec. 31, when he will leave the company. Several Disney employees have told Variety they would be uncomfortable with Lasseter’s continued employment at the studio. “It feels very weird he can stay on payroll for the next six or seven months. They do know there’s a problem,” said one Disney employee. “It doesn’t feel like a great compromise.”

The statement did not acknowledge the reasons for Lasseter’s departure, nor did it give any indication that the company investigated his conduct.

“John had a remarkable tenure at Pixar and Disney Animation, reinventing the animation business, taking breathtaking risks, and telling original, high quality stories that will last forever,” CEO Bob Iger said. “We are profoundly grateful for his contributions, which included a masterful and remarkable turnaround of The Walt Disney Animation Studios. One of John’s greatest achievements is assembling a team of great storytellers and innovators with the vision and talent to set the standard in animation for generations to come.”

In his own statement, Lasseter said, “The last six months have provided an opportunity to reflect on my life, career and personal priorities. While I remain dedicated to the art of animation and inspired by the creative talent at Pixar and Disney, I have decided the end of this year is the right time to begin focusing on new creative challenges. I am extremely proud of what two of the most important and prolific animation studios have achieved under my leadership and I’m grateful for all of the opportunities to follow my creative passion at Disney.”

In recent weeks, a Twitter campaign, #LoseLasseter, had begun to take hold among members of the animation community. Iger’s flattering statement about the departing executive suggested to one former Disney employee that some of the cultural problems at the media conglomerate, including a lack of support for women in creative roles at Pixar in particular, remain. “I’m incredibly disappointed that we waited six months for Disney to do the right thing and they didn’t,” the former employee said. “It doesn’t seem like they’ve addressed the issues.”

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